Gaetz: ‘We’ve now 86’d McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell’

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) celebrated the news that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is stepping down from his leadership post, recounting the recent shake-ups permeating across the Republican Party. 

The Florida Republican said that McConnell, the current Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) all got “86’d.”

McConnell announced Wednesday he would be vacating his Senate leadership post. McDaniel previously said in a statement that she would step down on March 8, while McCarthy was ousted from the Speakership last October after an effort led by Gaetz himself. 

“We’ve now 86’d: McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell,” Gaetz wrote in a Wednesday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Better days are ahead for the Republican Party.” 

The Florida congressman celebrated the development of all three Republican leaders leaving their positions, saying the GOP would be better off without them. 

Gaetz has continued to throw barbs at McCarthy, proving their animosity has not settled since the former Republican leader left Congress. Gaetz has had issues with McCarthy for “breaking promises.” 

Gaetz’s Wednesday reaction is similar to the one he had after the 2022 midterms, when his party failed to produce an anticipated “red wave” that would have given the Republican Party a bigger advantage in the lower chamber. 

He mocked the three party leaders, writing “McCarthy, McConnell, McDaniel McFailure.”